Vehicles including cars, trucks, motor homes and the like typically have reservoirs and pumps that can be selectively activated to spray windshield washer fluid on the vehicle windshield. Such windshield washer fluid, in conjunction with the vehicle windshield wipers, cleans or otherwise removes undesirable dirt, bugs or other matter from the outer surface of the windshield.
Vehicle windshield washer fluid reservoirs vary in shape and size, but typically will hold a supply of at least a quart of water or windshield washer fluid. The windshield washer fluid supply will diminish with use and the vehicle operator often finds that the fluid has been totally depleted at an inappropriate time.
Under these circumstances an operator usually makes a special trip to a retail outlet where the windshield washer fluid is sold and purchases a one-gallon container of windshield washer fluid. Since the amount of fluid in these containers is typically more than the vehicle windshield washer fluid reservoir will hold, after filling the reservoir the operator will either dispose of the surplus windshield washer fluid or temporarily store the surplus fluid in its open container in the trunk or other storage area of the vehicle. It is not uncommon, given the latter event, that the container works itself open after a period of time, spilling the surplus windshield washer fluid in the vehicle.
At a later date, when the supply of windshield washer fluid in the vehicle windshield washer fluid reservoir is again depleted, the vehicle user must then either use the surplus fluid from the previous purchase (if available) or buy more windshield washer fluid. In the former event, there may not be enough surplus fluid to fill the vehicle windshield washer fluid reservoir a second time. In the latter event, the user is now saddled with two containers.
It is unusual that a full windshield washer fluid reservoir will become fully depleted between vehicle fuel fillings. Thus, if the vehicle operator had access to windshield washer fluid each time the vehicle refueled, the vehicle windshield washer fluid reservoir would not likely become depleted at an inappropriate time.
A need has therefore been evidenced for a windshield washer fluid dispenser that can be associated with a fuel filling station or other convenient location where a vehicle is regularly maintained or kept. The present invention fills this need, as will be understood from the following description and accompanying drawings.